Usability

Compatibility

Functionality

Affordability

Pros

Cons

Photography has become wildly popular over the years, with more and more people taking part in trying to capture great moments. With apps like Instagram allowing users to showcase their talents and smartphone cameras constantly improving; its becoming easier to take great photos and videos. But sometimes you need that additional support in the form of an accessory to help you in taking a good picture or video. Smartphone tripods and mounts are accessories that help you to keep your device perfectly still, helping you to capture better shots and record great footage.

Smartphone mounts are becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience and size with manufacturers offering different designs and features. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the S1 Smartphone Grip by Shoulderpod. The product was developed by a group of photographers after a successful Kickstarter campaign.

So, what is smartphone mount and why use it? Well, essentially, a good smartphone mount is an accessory that allows you to place your phone comfortably and firmly on it so that it is easier for you to take pictures and record video. As it is easier for you to hold the smartphone, footage and pictures should be smoother and more stable.

In the box for the S1 Smartphone Grip you’ll get a phone mount, hand grip and a wrist strap. Like other smartphone mounts, it can be adjusted to fit an array of smartphones. The dial on top of the mount can be adjusted so that you can fit your device to the mount. All you do is simply turn the thumbscrew until the gap is wide enough for your device and then turn it in the opposite direction to tighten it and keep your smartphone in place.

The overall build quality of the mount is very impressive. It certainly feels premium and sturdy. The handgrip for example has some heft to it and feels great in the hand. The wrist strap is also convenient as it ensures that you won’t drop the accessory. Not only this, but it is comfortable in the hand, which is important, especially when recording long videos.

The mount has rubber pads unlike other smartphone mounts so you don’t have to worry about your phone being scratched. It can stretch to up to 93mm and starts at 48mm. which is great as it means that larger devices like Galaxy Note’s and iPhone Plus models can also be used with the mount (Both of which we used with the mount).

Shoulderpod say that the accessory is much more than a mount, it features a “Filmmaker Handle” allowing you to freely shoot videos with ease. It can also be used as a tripod mount as it features a ¼-20 Tripod thread. What’s more, is that it can be used as a “Traveller Stand” so you can prop up your device when reviewing footage. The fact that it has multiple uses makes it a lot more functional and useful than other standard mounts.

The only downside we can think of is that it can take some time to adjust the mount to different sizes, but this is if we were being really picky. And when we say “taking time” we’re talking seconds not minutes so it isn’t much of a drawback.

Overall, we think that this is a great smartphone accessory and definitely a worthy investment for budding smartphone photographers. It has great build quality and is very useful for preventing shaky videos and capturing great shots.